DOCS under fire for placing child in care of sexual predator

Joel Labi & Anil Lambert-Patel

There is absolutely no excuse. You cannot place a child in the care of an abuser without doing the checks.

NSW Shadow Community Services Minister Pru Goward

DOCS is once again under fire, accused of putting a teenage boy in the care of a sexual predator.

Mark Robinson claims he was attacked and abused by his 45-year-old carer, who wasn't subjected to a background check.

The Department says they contracted private company Life Without Barriers, to provide the carer.

NSW Shadow Community Services Minister Pru Goward says the systemic failure is a real concern.

“This isn’t the first time a child has been found to have been left with a foster carer who has abused or mistreated them,” she told LIVENEWS.com.au.

“This is a real wake up call for DOCS – it took them a year to report the matter to police. In the mean time, God knows how many other children this man abused.”

“It’s not good enough, the department should apologise.

“The young man has been incredibly courageous in coming forward. It is too late for him – but it is not too late for other children.

“DOCS has absolutely got to guartantee that it does proper background checks and it requires Life Without Barriers to do proper background checks before a child is placed with them.

“There is absolutely no excuse. You cannot place a child in the care of an abuser without doing the checks.”